C A R E F L I T E s N E W S L E T T E R

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1 FLITE LINES C A R E F L I T E s N E W S L E T T E R 2016 Holiday Edition Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, that is the true measure of Thanksgiving. - WT Purkiser Best wishes for a joyous holiday season & a healthy New Year from all of us at CareFlite s Free Open Houses: Model Railroad, Aircraft & Ambulances The Dallas, Fort Worth & North Pole RR is a 40 x 20 foot traditional O gauge model railroad with 7 trains, 3 streetcars & 2 flying helicopters sponsored by: Grand Prairie Airport, Great SW Arkansas December 3 & 10, 2016 & January 22, 2017, Noon til 4pm

2 CAREFLITE AT 2016 TEXAS EMS CONFERENCE L to R, Front Row: Lynn Lail CFRN, Lisa Rovedo CFRN, Julie Haschel CFRN, Misty Leger CFRN, JP Leger ATP, Second Row: Scott Lail FP-C, Michael Farris CFRN, Andrew Foxcroft CFRN, Wrey McCoy CFRN, Alex Eden EMT-P. The Air Clinical Division was responsible for CareFlite s representation at the Conference. The 2016 Texas EMS Conference was held at the Dallas Convention Center November The displays were updated and many stacks of blocks like the one above left were new this year. Many, many First Responders visited with CareFlite at the booth as well as at the annual CareFlite Customer Appreciation Party on Sunday evening.the Texas EMS Conference is always just before Thanksgiving. Next year s conference will be held in Fort Worth.

3 Above left: CareFlite s outstanding contribution to the silent auction benefiting TAAMS. CareFlite also displayed an ambulance configured for use for highly infectious patients such as anyone suspected of having Ebola. Nominate a 2017 Great First Responder at 17th CUSTOMER APPRECIATION PARTY HELD AT 2016 TEXAS EMS CONFERENCE CareFlite s 17th annual customer appreciation party was held Sunday night 7 til 11pm at the House of Blues. It s a great opportunity to thank its First Responder customers who honor our air services by trusting CareFlite with their most grievously injured or sick patients. The high quality and rapid response of CareFlite s air medical service has resulted in an 11% increase in flights over the past two years.

4 TERESA CAMPBELL CFRN, 20 YEARS OF BRINGING HELP & HOPE Congratulations to Teresa Campbell CFRN for completing 20 years of service at CareFlite. A special presentation was held at CareFlite s customer appreciation party held on November 20, 2016 at the House of Blues in Dallas on Sunday evening, November 20, The party was held on the opening day of the Texas EMS Conference being held at the Dallas Convention Center. One way of looking at her service is to recognize that she has be at CareFlite for more than half of the company s history and helped hundreds of patients survive trauma and illness. (caption next page)

5 One of the most dramatic cases during the last two decades was the response to Truman Duncan in the rail yard in Cleburne (Above left). The other photo shows Truman & his son at CareFlite s 30 th Anniversary celebration. Teresa Campbell CFRN Years of Putting the Care in CareFlite Teresa Campbell and the gang at Billy Bob s during CareFlite s customer appreciation party at the 2009 Texas EMS Conference in Fort Worth. Congratulations to Teresa Campbell CFRN Above left: At Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth in 2009 with Trey Morris FP-C and Jim Swartz, CEO. Above right: 2008 Flight Nurse of the Year award presented by Tammy Hawkins CFRN, Air Clinical Director.

6 The above letter speaks for itself and is typical of the care Teresa provides. It is the commitment to providing the highest quality patient care and the dedication of crewmembers like Teresa Campbell CFRN that makes CareFlite an indispensable part of the North Texas community. Above at the opening of the Granbury base in October 2006.

7 DRIVE IN FLU SHOTS AT GLEN ROSE MEDICAL CENTER CareFlite co-hosted a drive thru Flu Shot Clinic on October 29th at the Glen Rose Medical Center. The free service was provided by Travis Schiffner FP-C, LeeAnn Fewell CFRN, Andrew Foxcroft CFRN and Lynn Lail CFRN. GRMC provided the vaccines. AND THE NIGHT BEFORE IN GLEN ROSE

8 CareFlite participated in a joint National Night Out and Safe Halloween Trick or Treat event in front of the old Courthouse in Glen Rose on Saturday October 28 th from 4 til 8pm. Eva Zuniga worked with CareFlite interns Chris Coleman, Orlando Diaz and Madera Tovar.

9 TWO NEW WATER SYSTEMS IN KAUFMAN COUNTY AND ABLE SPRINGS VFD CUTS RIBBON ON NEW HELIPAD On Saturday October 29 th, the Ables Springs VFD held a celebration to inaugurate their new helipad. The ability to use a helipad allows CareFlite s helicopters to land in a more controlled environment than in the middle of a rural road. This improves the safety of the operation. If accidents are in the area of Ables Springs, the ground ambulance will meet the helicopter at the new helipad. In an earlier meeting, the Ables Spring Special Utility District approved an agreement to make a Caring-Heart Membership available to all of its water customers. The Caring-Heart Membership protects families by eliminating balance billing for all patients covered by insurance. It also reduces the cost for those without insurance by 50% of CareFlite s standard rates. All at a cost of $1 per household per month paid through the water system.

10 Forney City Council approves CareFlite membership program for households Written by Mathew Richards onthursday, 17 November :41 CareFlite President and CEO James Swartz discussing the Caring Heart Membership Program with the Forney City Council on Tuesday night. inforney.com photo. FORNEY, Texas The Forney City Council approved entering into an agreement with CareFlite for its Caring Heart Membership Program a $1 per month per household membership program aimed at reducing the costs of emergency and medical transportation. The program, according to CareFlite President & CEO James C. Swartz who spoke to the city council on Tuesday, will cover the portion of emergency and medical transportation not covered by insurance companies of those who are insured for such transportation. Those not insured for such transportations, will see a 50 percent reduction in transportation costs. With the approval by council, City of Forney utility customers will begin seeing a $1 charge each month for CareFlite services which covers every member of the household with the exception of Medicaid recipients which state law prohibits. Customers can opt-out of the program by signing an opt-out form at city hall. City of Forney residents who are on a different water system may also have the option to be billed through the program instead of completing an individual membership directly with CareFlite. In Kaufman County, the cities of Terrell, Kaufman, Kemp, Mabank, as well as the water supply corporations of Ables Springs Water, Combine Water Supply, Country Club Estates, and Talty Water Supply are already participating in the Caring Heart Membership Program, according to Swartz. Individuals who are already members of the program outside of a city or water supply agreement and have paid in advance can seek a pro-rated reimbursement and will not see a lapse in coverage, according to Swartz. The program includes ground ambulance service where offered, helicopter EMS within 150 miles of DFW, and fixed-wing air ambulance services within 500 miles of DFW. Helicopter EMS coverage is also honored by San Antonio AirLIFE and Corpus Christi HALO Flight in portions of central and south Texas. CareFlite, established in 1979, is the oldest joint-use air medical program in the United States and, according to Swartz, has the youngest fleet with $34 million recently invested in a complete helicopter fleet replacement. CareFlite began ground operations in Kaufman County, including Forney, on March 1, 2015, after East Texas Medical Center EMS withdrew their services from the county. CareFlite was already providing air operations to Kaufman County. Since becoming the provider in Forney, CareFlite has transported 3,546 patients by ground and 47 by helicopter from the city. The approved agreement begins January 1, 2017, and ends December 31, 2022, with automatic three-year renewal terms.

11 2017 Outreach Education Classes Course Title: DSHS Category: Approved for RN CE:* Basic 12-Lead Interpretation Medical Critical Thinking for Critical Patients Patient Assessment EMS & the Iron Horse Culture Trauma or Clinically Related Ops Yes Exploring Boring Fun with Endocrine Disorders Medical Yes Landing Zone Course Clinically Related Ops Motorcycle Mania Trauma or Clinically Related Ops Yes Motorcycle Mania & the Iron Horse Culture Trauma or Clinically Related Ops Yes Normal vs Special Needs Patients: Let s Redefine Normal Special Considerations Yes Pharmacology of RSI Preparatory or Airway Management Rapid Sequence Induction Preparatory or Airway Management The Rapid Assessment Patient Assessment There is no I in Airway Airway Management Yes To the Nth Degree A New Look at Burns Trauma Yes Toxicology Medical Trains, Trauma and Teamwork One Man s New Life Trauma or Clinically Related Ops Yes Trauma: Lethel Triad Fluid Resuscitation Coagulopathy Trauma Vasopressors and Vasodilation Review Preparatory Ventilator Management for EMS Airway Management Additional Outreach Offerings: Texas DSHA EMR Classes, Community CPR, BLS for HCP & Card Courses: ACLS & PALS For more information & scheduling of Outreach Classes, please contact: CareFlite also offers the following courses at the Mabee EMS Training Center: Lynn Lail CFRN, Chief Flight Nurse (817) or llail@careflite.org For more information on courses at the Mabee EMS Training Center, visit or education@careflite.org *Pre-hospital and Nursing CE accreditations: CareFlite is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Texas Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center s Commission on Accreditation. CareFlite is an approved provider of continuing education by the Texas Department of State Health Services. CareFlite is an approved provider of FP-C Review and FP-C CE Renewal Courses by the Board for Critical Care Transport Paramedic Certification (CTPC).

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13 CareFlite s 2017 Education Courses Presented by

14 CARING-HEART MEMBERS SAVE 25% AT THE HEART SHOP USE COUPON CODE: CFMEMBER CareFlite Breast Cancer T Shirts $11 35 th Anniversary T Shirts sport tech material and available in orange, blue and gray $25 for short sleeves, long sleeves and 2XL or 3XL are $1 more CareFlite helicopter on the back of all shirts Covered Cup Includes Straw $10 CareFlite Sweatshirts CareFlite Bears Mousepad $ $39.99 All Sizes (Made to Order, Allow 3 Weeks) $9.99 each $2.99 New Item Keeps Drink Hot or Cold 20 oz. Steel Insulated Tumbler $20 Stuffed CareFlite Helicopter $14.99 Stuffed CareFlite Ambulance $14.99 CareFlite Socks $10 CareFlite Hats $14.99 Coffee Mug $4.99 Shop on line for these items and more at

15 Photo Courtesy of Sheldon Cohen HELP & HOPE DELIVERED DAILY. CAREFLITE.